Barbara was born September 20, 1932 to W. Wallace Smith and Lorena Smith of New Orleans. She was a graduate of Dominican High School and attended Louisiana State University, where she was a member of Alpha Xi Delta Sorority. On August 16, 1952, she married Numa Louis Pedeaux at St. Louis Cathedral in New Orleans. Together, they raised four sons and one daughter, while living mostly in New Orleans, but also for four years in New York City, which Barbara dearly loved.
Barbara was an extraordinary seamstress and loved doing crafts of all kinds, especially sewing and decorating her home for the seasons and holidays. She enjoyed working at various fabric shops over the years, imparting her knowledge and love of sewing to all her customers. She was a patriotic woman and a Roman Catholic, volunteering her time at the Vatican Pavilion of the World’s Fair of 1984 in New Orleans. She and her husband moved to Shreveport, Louisiana in their later years, where they lived out the rest of their lives.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister, and her husband. Left to cherish her memory are her five children and their families, including nine grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Her children include: William W. Pedeaux and wife Christine of Bossier City, LA, Kenneth Pedeaux and wife Donna of Carriere, Mississippi, Nancy Sanders and late husband James Sanders of Houston, TX, Paul Pedeaux and wife Theresa of New Orleans, LA, and David Pedeaux and wife Babette of Slidell, LA. Grandchildren include Christopher Pedeaux and wife Dawn of Marshall, TX, Paula Gorman and husband Andrew of Houston, TX, Collin White-Pedeaux and wife Miriam of Portland, OR, Sean Pedeaux and wife Ellen of Cave Springs, AR, Kristen Pedeaux, Lauren Boudreaux and husband Daniel, David Pedeaux and wife Sarah, and Stephanie Pedeaux, all of Slidell, LA, and Raven Sanders and husband Bob Blucher of Orlando, FL. Great-grandchildren include Isabelle, Lucy, Cecilia, David, Alice, Camille, and Colette Pedeaux, Evelyn, Eloise, and William Gorman, Calvin Pedeaux, Noree White-Pedeaux, and Walker and Reid Pedeaux.
The family wishes to thank the wonderful staff of The Glen Retirement System and St. Joseph Hospice of Shreveport for their loving care of our mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation from 9:00 until 11:00 am on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, New Orleans. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated in the Chapel following the visitation. Inurnment will take place in Lake Lawn Park.
